My time in the garden holds very special moments in my life. The most favorite time for me to wander among the flowers is at twilight time. It is just after the sun has set, its blazing glory highlighting each floral and foliage perfection, and just as the light begins to fade. As I behold the wonders that the garden unfolds before me, I press closer to secretly enter that world, the world so visible and accessible to us yet oftentimes so hidden in the course of day.

I kneel to savor the fragrance of a lovely bloom, brushing its petals with my cheek and I delight in the brilliant markings of her colors, the way the evening shower sits on her leaves in shimmering globes. The bend of her stem in the light, supple and strong. Her petals are almost translucent, and as the waning light once more clasps her to its bosom, her intense color comes alive in a burst of beauty and she seems to glow. In that instant, total perfection is brought into immediate focus, and nightfall, as a velvet cloak, captures her loveliness.

Nearby, a large garden spider, a wondrous creature with distinct yellow, brown and white markings, steadily spins his web, then sits, waiting patiently for dinner. His web stretches from leaf to leaf, spanning the distance, glistening like jewels. All around the air is quiet and still, the whirl of the bees wings dancing the only sound. Being in the presence of this magic of life on all levels, alone with one's thoughts, carries such powerful life force qualities, and infuses the soul with goodness and restorative elements. One's heart sings out in pure joy. Beauty is everywhere, in the little face of the pansy, in the graceful arms of the ferns, in the golden hue of the creeping jenny. And mirrored in the iris of our souls.

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The most beautiful gardens are contrived with this inner love, this passion for things of beauty and grace. Always a thought to the ecological balance, the plant community itself, and the residents of our gardens, these are the basics. But to bring together a collection of plants, and create a living thing of beauty, that prospers and grows, and that becomes so vital to our existence, this is a superb endeavor. We are empowered as we enjoy our living garden, and are entrusted with the singular magnificence of a living thing that grows in beauty. A living thing, part of the whole; living, breathing and being the best it can be. Just for the sake of being and, through its simple existence, bringing homage to our Great Gardener.

As I walk through my garden, following the various paths, disappearing into the bend of the path cloaked in evergreen shrubs, tiptoeing over the dainty wild violets, I visit each plant, making mental notes. I find myself so enthralled with what I see that I catch my breath at the beauty of a scene I happen upon. Knowing it exists, but not prepared for the tremendous visual impact its colors, shape, and composition deliver, I am struck by its intense beauty and I am overcome with joy. How absolutely gorgeous!

One finds beauty not only in the blooms of summer, but in the sparkling diamonds of winter, the golden chants of fall, and the freshness of spring. Evergreens, foliage plants, succulents, fragrant lilies being kissed by a butterfly at day's end... each house their own magic beauty deep within, secrets that will be displayed in their own time, their own triumphant moment, their Joy de Vive!